She is actually them. There are many Pomba Giras. Probably the most well known one is Maria Padilla. However, I normally just refer to Pomba Gira as a singular being. She loves to dance. She likes the movement and being the center of attention (hence the connection with Leos). She is a sex goddess. She is seen as a very attractive female with gypsy-like features. Beyond the sexual aspect, however, she is a very powerful and generous female who loves to give her children gifts.

Pomba Gira is also called the female Eshu and therefore is sometimes seen as a female devil (again, she is not satanic). However, she is also a great healer of sexual problems. In this day and age, many people (males and females) have sexual issues. Whether it is because of molestation or rape, etc., she can help overcome frigidity and similar problems. However, if someone is addicted to sex, I won’t even mention her name to that person.

Pomba Gira is well-known in Brazil and many of her followers tend to work in the sex industries. Before passing judgment, realize that many people (females especially) in other “less developed” countries live in extreme poverty and are forced to do many things to support themselves and their families. She is also very protective of the people she cares about. Because of her connection with the sex industries, she is well acquainted with HIV and other social diseases.

When we first published this information years ago, there wasn’t much available on the web (in English) on the Pomba Gira. There is now tons of stuff out there as her following in the US and Europe has exploded. One of our favorite resources is Nicholaj de Mattos Frisvold’s book Pomba Gira: Pomba Gira and the Quimbanda of Mbumba Nzila. An amazingly detailed book, Frisvold spends quite a bit of time describing many of the Pomba Giras individually.

Properly Showing Respect to the Pomba Gira

Respect is a big deal to the Pomba Gira. Be sure to thank her before and after asking for her help. After a great sexual experience, try to say thank you to the Pomba Gira. Tip strippers well. Don’t talk badly about people who work in sex industries (stripping, prostitution, domination, etc), you never know what kind of situation got them there. She loves to shop at Frederick’s of Hollywood.

There is a lot of variation between the different Pomba Giras. A study of the different aspects would be well worth your time. See the Wikipedia Link bellow for a listing of them.

Where to find Pomba Gira

Pomba Gira’s Children

You will normally find her children working in strip bars, the phone sex industry, the porn industry or in your local dungeon working as a dominatrix. They love to dance and move and they want to be on center stage (literally or figuratively). Unfortunately, these folks also do not generally have happy love lives. They are very protective of their friends and family, especially their children. Many sources say that she is closest to women, transexuals and gay men.

Pomba Gira Story

I have the Pomba Gira’s tattoo on my wrist. I have it because that was the mark of my first coven. The story was that the priestesses were all sitting around one night and Pomba Gira showed up and began speaking through one of them. She drew out this particular veve (a spiritual symbol) and told the ladies that’s what she wanted tattooed on their bodies. They all got the tattoo and when I received my priestess initiation, I got one too. Nine months later, when I left the group, I toyed with the idea of getting it removed but in the end, I kept it. Over time, I realized that it was a direct link to Pomba Gira (meaning I could talk to her directly at anytime) and that strangely enough, it burned when something bad was going to happen.

One time, my boyfriend was taking me into his favorite new age store. Right before I walked into the place, it started to itch. I ignored it and went in anyway. Within 5 minutes I got into a screaming match with the owner (over a set of earrings). A couple years ago, out of nowhere, it started to burn one night. I actually had to put ice on it. I was so scared. I talked to my friend about it the next morning and she said that a former friend, “Jane,” had called her the night before and had talked about coming down to San Antonio to visit. I had lived with Jane in another state for a while and Jane had betrayed me. Pomba Gira was (once again) trying to warn me that there was something bad coming my way.

Disclaimer: You may find that some of the information on this page differs from the traditional beliefs of some African Diaspora practices. The information on this page has been gathered from personal experiences and while we respect those who walk the more “Traditional” paths, we have some different beliefs concerning the Orishas and Loa.